Bucharest is receiving €87.44 million from the Modernisation Fund to renew its public transport fleet. According to Mayor Ciprian Ciucu, this will include the procurement of 40 electric buses and 45 new trolleybuses. Read more…

The EU bidirectional charging project EV4EU has concluded its work after four years. The partners developed a bidirectional CCS charging prototype and open-source software for charging point operators, among other things. Four demonstration projects show how electric cars can contribute to the adaptability of the power system. Read more…

For almost four years now, Xpeng has produced the G9. Last year, it received its first facelift, and this year, it gained a big brother: the G9L. This model is already available on the Chinese domestic market and is soon set to land in Europe. Xpeng will unveil the massive SUV at the Paris Motor Show and will only then release all the details. In the meantime, we were given an early opportunity to take a seat in the G9L – here’s our first impressions. Read more…

Audi has opened UK order books for the new A2 e-tron, with prices starting at £32,200 OTR. Deliveries of the compact electric car are expected to reach UK customers from early 2027. Read more…

The EU Commission has selected 46 additional strategic raw material projects across 16 member states. Many of these involve lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite, which are particularly critical for the battery industry. This time, Germany is well-represented with eight projects selected in total. Read more…

In early 2027, Volkswagen will replace its E-SUV ID.4 and its derivative ID.5 with the ID. Tiguan – emphasising its kinship with the best-selling combustion-engine Tiguan. The new VW ID. Tiguan offers drivetrains with up to 220 kW, range of up to 600 km, and towing capacities of up to two tonnes. Read more…

Volkswagen has announced another recall in the US for 22,524 ID.4 units. Until a final solution is available, affected vehicles should only be charged up to a maximum of 80 per cent. Read more…

E.ON Drive Infrastructure is taking over the former BP Pulse fast-charging network in the Netherlands and will operate it under the Essent brand in the future. The network comprises a total of 79 locations with 370 charging points. Read more…

A study by Chalmers University of Technology examines reconfigurable battery packs that can selectively bypass weaker cells. Under optimal conditions, this could extend the lifespan of batteries in certain high-voltage vehicles by more than 20 per cent. Read more…

Mercedes-Benz Group sold 78,100 electric vehicles in the third quarter. These accounted for 16 per cent of all Mercedes cars and vans sold worldwide – up by more than six percentage points compared to the same period last year. However, China remains an extremely challenging market for the Stuttgart-based company. Read more…

After China rejected voluntary export restrictions on hybrid cars to the EU, the European Commission is now preparing import restrictions for such vehicles via a safeguard procedure. However, this could also just be a pressure tactic to negotiate a deal, as both parties have entered talks in Beijing regarding the matter. Read more…

In Vierzon, Voltix has opened its first public fast-charging station for electric HGVs. The facility initially offers four charging points, each with up to 1.5 MW – with this later set to expand to eight charging points. Read more…

The State of California has opened a new $28 million funding round for its existing Fast Charge California Project. This will see it offer up to $100,000 per charging port for DC fast chargers, with applications due to close on 14 January 2027. Read more…

According to its own statements, DeepDrive has been nominated as a mass-production supplier for an unnamed global vehicle manufacturer. The start of series production for the Munich-based company’s electric drive is planned for 2028. In parallel, DeepDrive is establishing a presence in China. Read more…

The Traton Group is investing heavily in new drive technologies. Niklas Klingenberg, the group’s top development executive, is one of the key decisionmakers shaping the truck technology of tomorrow at MAN and Scania. We spoke to Klingenberg about group dynamics, battery chemistries and China’s role in the technology race. Read more…

India’s transition to zero-emission buses has so far been driven largely by public transport authorities (PTAs). However, public fleets represent only 8 to 10 per cent of the country’s bus market, while private operators account for around 90 per cent or approximately 1.6 million buses. A broader transition in the bus segment will thus happen only when the private sector accelerates adoption. Read more…

BMW is presenting the most powerful drivetrain variant of its premium iX3 eSUV to date. The new BMW iX3 M60 xDrive takes the lead in the lineup with 450 kW and is said to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in under four seconds. The Munich-based manufacturer plans to open order books at the end of January 2027. Read more…

BMW continues to expand its ‘Neue Klasse’ family with the new iX4, a sporty electric SUV coupé positioned between the iX3 and larger iX5. The model will launch in three all-wheel-drive variants, including the 450 kW iX4 M60 xDrive. Prices start at €70,900. Read more…

Leapmotor is growing in Europe with Stellantis backing. Now, the Chinese brand aims to make its mark in the small electric SUV segment with the B03X, focusing on space and clever ideas. A first test drive reveals whether the crossover delivers on its promises. Read more…

Ionity is equipping some of its charging parks with a single terminal for ad-hoc payments mounted on a lamppost. However, the device is shaped like a birdhouse – allowing the provider to avoid installing a card payment terminal on each individual charging station. Read more…